'India now has 25,202 public charging stations for electric vehicles', says Govt

India has reached a key milestone in its journey toward electric mobility, with 25,202 public charging stations now installed across the country, according to Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Steel Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma.

The minister shared this information in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the government’s efforts to encourage electric vehicle (EV) adoption and develop charging infrastructure nationwide.

Karnataka leads the pack

Among the states, Karnataka has the highest number of public charging stations at 5,765. Maharashtra follows with 3,728 stations, and Uttar Pradesh ranks third with 1,989. Delhi and Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, have 1,941 and 1,413 public charging stations, respectively. 

Chhattisgarh has also made progress, installing 271 EV charging stations, the minister informed.

PM E-DRIVE scheme launch

On Sept. 29, the Ministry of Heavy Industries introduced the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, aimed at accelerating EV adoption, setting up more charging stations, and boosting EV manufacturing in India.

Notably, the initiative has a budget of Rs 10,900 crore for a two-year period, with Rs 2,000 crore specifically allocated for installing public charging stations.

Last week, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) said India would require Rs 16,000 crore capex by 2030 to meet public EV charging demand.

New guidelines for charging infrastructure

The Ministry of Power has issued “Guidelines for Installation and Operation of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure-2024” to ensure that stations across India follow uniform standards and protocols. These guidelines aim to create a connected and interoperable charging network.

However, the minister emphasized that determining the exact number of charging points needed for a certain number of EVs is challenging due to factors like vehicle types, travel patterns, and evolving technologies.

According to the Vahan portal of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India has registered 28,55,015 electric two-wheelers and 2,57,169 electric four-wheelers as of Dec. 4.

Experts project that the country’s EV charging market will grow to $3.7 billion by 2030 as more people opt for electric options. Battery swapping for two- and three-wheelers is also gaining momentum, with major companies investing in technologies to make EVs more affordable and accessible.